End the Exploitation of Qualified Teachers – Employ Us Now!

We, the undersigned, are qualified South African educators who pursued the teaching profession with the sincere intention of contributing to the future of our country. We went to universities, studied diligently, completed our teaching qualifications, and committed ourselves to the noble cause of nation-building through education. But today, we find ourselves unemployed, undervalued, and ignored by the very government that claims to prioritize education.

Our crime? Choosing to become teachers.

In many schools across the country, learners are without teachers. Schools are severely understaffed. And yet, thousands of qualified educators remain without jobs while the Department of Basic Education claims it does not have the budget to employ us. Meanwhile, we live with the burden of debt, many of us owe universities thousands of rands in unpaid tuition fees. We chose to study, to learn, to be of service, and for that, we are now being punished.

The South African government is exploiting the teaching profession. The very foundation of our country, education, is being hollowed out while the government turns a blind eye to the plight of those who have committed their lives to teaching.

We demand answers and we demand change.

We Demand:

1. The immediate employment of qualified teachers.

2. An end to the exploitation of graduates through unpaid internships or prolonged unemployment.

3. A review and redistribution of current education funding to prioritize the hiring of professional educators.

The government has proven that it has the money. Over 200,000 Education Assistant (EA) posts were created under the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative. While we do not oppose initiatives that give young people temporary employment, we must ask: why spend this money creating short-term posts when there are thousands of unemployed, qualified teachers?

If the government can pay stipends to 200,000 EAs, then surely it can employ at least 50,000 qualified teachers on a full-time basis. It is grossly irresponsible to deploy Education Assistants, some with no teaching qualifications,  into classrooms, where they are handed chalk and duster and expected to teach. This undermines the profession and compromises the quality of education in South Africa.

We challenge the government with this question:
Why not create Police Assistants and hand them firearms?
Why not create Nurse Assistants and hand them syringes in hospitals? 

Would this happen in any other profession?

• Are there Police Assistants walking the streets with guns?

• Are there Nurse Assistants performing surgeries in clinics?

• Are Pilot Assistants flying airplanes without licenses?

• Are Doctor Assistants diagnosing patients in hospitals?

• Are there Engineer Assistants building bridges or skyscrapers?

• Are Legal Assistants representing clients in court?

You wouldn’t do this, because you recognize the dangers of unqualified personnel in those sectors.
So why is it acceptable to do this in our schools — with our children?

The Truth Is:

• South African teachers are among the least paid in comparison to other professions.

• Qualified educators are being sidelined while political decisions and short-term solutions are being prioritized.

• Trade unions aligned to the ruling party have failed to protect the dignity and rights of educators.

• The profession is being devalued, and those who dared to dream of being teachers are now facing poverty and despair.

We are calling on Minister Siviwe Gwarube, and all MECs of Education across provinces, to intervene.

We call for:

• A national employment drive to place qualified educators in schools where shortages exist.

• A long-term employment plan for teachers and the youth of South Africa who remain unemployed.

• An end to the exploitation of education assistants as substitute teachers.

• Recognition and fair compensation for the teaching profession

Teachers are not second-class citizens. We are nation builders.
We are the foundation of all professions, the ones who teach the lawyers, the nurses, the engineers, the presidents.

The government cannot continue to ignore our cries while the education system collapses and learners suffer. The future of this country depends on us. Employ us. Respect us. Value us.

The sin we committed was to choose to be teachers. We were told we are the backbone of the nation — yet we are the most disrespected.

We refuse to be silent while the future of our children and the dignity of our profession is destroyed. Our message is clear:

We studied to teach. We qualified to serve. We deserve to work.

This is not just a petition. It is a cry for justice.

Yours in education and justice,
Concerned Qualified Educators of South Africa

#EmployTeachersNow
#StopTeacherExploitation
#JusticeForQualifiedTeachers

Simphiwe Mntungwa    Contact the author of the petition